Sharmila Suresh serves as a Research Assistant at IMPART Alliance, where she supports research and data-driven initiatives focused on strengthening Michigan’s direct care workforce. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Michigan State University in April 2024, with minors in Data Analytics and Computational Modeling.
Suresh was the first member of IMPART Alliance’s Research and Development Division, working alongside Dr. Andrea Freidus during the division’s formation. Her academic and professional interests center on socio-economic research and understanding how individuals, organizations, and systems make decisions in the presence of limited resources. Through her work, she applies both quantitative and qualitative methods to examine workforce challenges, evaluate programs, and inform evidence-based solutions.
“My goal is to understand how people and systems respond to incentives and constraints, and to use that insight to design better programs and policies that create meaningful, real-world impact,” Suresh says.
At IMPART Alliance, Suresh contributes to the organization’s integrated model, which addresses the root causes of instability in the direct care workforce by engaging multiple stakeholders, including direct care workers, employers, academic institutions, and government partners. Her work also challenges common misconceptions about direct care workers, particularly around technology use, highlighting their willingness and capacity to adopt new tools when these innovations are tied to career growth and fair compensation.
Suresh’s research-driven approach and commitment to systems-level thinking closely align with IMPART Alliance’s mission to build sustainable pathways, improve working conditions, and elevate the direct care workforce across Michigan.
